Chapter II. Of the Sacrament of Baptism

Q. What do you mean by a Sacrament?

A, An outward sign or ceremony of Christ's instituliorj, by which grace is given to the soul of the worthy receiver.

Q. What are the necessary conditions for a thing to be a Sacrament?

A. These three. First, it must be a sacred sign, and consequently, as to the outward performance, it must be visible or sensible. Secondly, this sacred sign must have annexed unto it a power of communicating grace to the soul. Thirdly, this must be.by virtue of the ordinance or institution of Christ.

Q. How then do you prove that baptism is a sacrament, since the scripture nowhere calls it so?

A, Because it has these three conditions. First, it is an outward visible sign, consisting in the washing with water, with the form of words prescribed by Christ. Secondly, it has a power of communicating grace to our souls, in the way of a new birth; whence it is called by the Apostle, Tit. iii. 6. *The laver or washing of regeneration and renewing of the Holy Ghost.' Thirdly, we have the ordinance and institution of Christ, St. Matt, xxviii. 19. ^Go teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' And St. John iii. 5. 'Except a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.

Q. In what manner must baptism be administered, so as to be valid?

A. It must be administered in true natural water, with this or the like form of words. ' I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost;' which words ought to be pronounced at the same time as the water is applied to the person that is baptized, and by the same minister, who ought to have the intention of doing what the Church does.

Q. What if these words ' I baptize thee,' or any one of the names of the Three Persons, should be left out?

A, In that case it would be no baptism.

Q, What if the baptism should be administered in rose-water, or any of the like artificial waters?

A. It would be no baptism.

Q. Ought baptism to be administered by dipping, or by pouring of the water; or by sprinkling of the water?

A, It may be administered validly any of these ways; but the custom of the Church is to administer this sacrament either by dipping in the water, which is used in the East; or by pouring of the water upon the person baptized, which is more customary in these parts of Christendom. Moreover, it is the custom in all parts of the Catholic Church, and has been so from the Apostles' days, to dip or pour three times at the names of the three divine persons; though we do not look upon *his so essential, that the doing otherwise would r3nder the baptism invalid.

Q, What think you of those that administer baptism so slightly, that it is doubtful whether it may in any sense be called an ablution or washing; aa for instance, those that administer it only with a fillip of a wet finger?

A, Such as these expose themselves to the danger of administering no baptism.

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Q. What do you think of baptism administered by heretics, or schismatics?

A.' The Church receives their baptism, if they observe the Catholic matter and form; that is, if they baptize with true natural water, and have the intention of doing what the Church does; pronouncing at the same time these words, 'I baptize thee in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.'

Q. What think you of baptism administered with the due form of words, but without the sign of the cross?

A, The omission of this ceremony does not render the baptism invalid.

Q. What is your judgment of the baptism said to be administered by some modern Arians, 'In the name of the Father, through the Son, in the Holy Ghost?'

A. Such a corruption of the form makes the baptism null and invalid.

Q. What is the doctrine of the Church as to baptism administered by a layman or by a woman?

A. If it be attempted without necessity, it is a criminal presumption; though even then the baptism is valid, and is not to be reiterated: but, in a case of necessity, when a priest cannot be had, and a child is in immediate danger of death, baptism may not only validly, but also lawfully be administered by any person whatsoever. In which case a cleric, though only in lesser orders, is to be admitted preferably to a layman, and a man preferably to a woman, and a Catholic preferably to a heretic.;

Q. How do you prove that infants may be bap4 tized who are not capable of being taught or instructed in the faith?

A, I prove it, first, by a tradition which the

Church has received from the Apostles,¹ and practised in all ages ever since; now as none were more likely or better qualified than the Apostles, to understand the true nneaning of the commission given them by their master to baptize all nations, so none were more diligent than they to execute faithfully this commission according to his meaning, and to teach their disciples to do the same, St. Matt, xxviii. 20. So that what the Church has received by tradition from the Apostles and their disciples, was undoubtedly agreeable to the commission of Christ.

Secondly, I prove it by comparing together two texts of scripture, one of which declares, that without baptism no one can enter into the kingdom of heaven; St. John iii. 6. 'Except a man be born again of water and the Holy Ghost, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.' The other text declares, that infants are capable of this kingdom, St. Luke xviii. 16. 'Suffer little children to come to me, and forbid them not; for of such is the kingdom of God:' and consequently they must be capable of baptism.

Thirdly, circumcision in the old law corresponded to baptism in the new law, and was a figure of it, Colos. ii. 11, 12. But circumcision was administered to infants, Gen. xvii. Therefore baptism in like manner is to be administered to infants.

Fourthly, we read in scripture of whole families baptized by St. Paul, Acts xvi. 15. and 33. 1 Cor. i. 16. Now it is probable that in so many whole families there were some infants.

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Fifthly, as infants are not capable of helping themselves by faith and repentance, were they not capable of being helped by the sacrament of baptism, they could have no share in Christ, and no means to be delivered from original sin; and consequently almost one half of mankind dying before the use of reason must inevitably perish, if infants were not to be baptized. «

Sixthly, if infants' baptism were invalid, the gates of hell would have long since prevailed against the Church; yea, for many ages there would have been no such thing as Christians upon earth; since for many ages before the Anabaptists arose, all persons had been baptized in their infancy, which baptism if it were null, they were no Christians, and consequently there was no church. Where then was that promise of Christ, St. Matt. xvi. 19. "Upon this rock I will build my church, and the gates of hell shall not prevail against it.' And St. Matt, xxviii. 20. *Lo, I am with you always, even to the end of the world.'

Besides, if infants' baptism be null, the first preachers of the Anabaptists had never received baptism, or had received it from those who never had been baptized. A likely set of men for bringing back God's truth banished from the world, who had not so much as received the first badge or character of a Christian; and who, so far from having orders or mission, had not so much as been baptized.

Q. How do you prove against the Quakers that all persons ought to be baptized?

A. From the commission of Christ, St. Matt. xxviii. 19. 'Go teach all nations, baptizing them in the name of the Father, and of the Son, and of the Holy Ghost.' From that general sentence of our k

Lord, St. John iii. 5. ^Except a man be born again of water and the Spirit, he cannot enter into the kingdom of God.' From the practice of the Apostles, and of the first Christians, who were all baptized: thus we read. Acts ii. 38. with relation to the converts to Christianity at Jerusalem, when they asked of the Apostles, what they should do? that Peter said unto them, * Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ.' And ver. 41. *Then they that gladly received his word were baptized,&c.' Thus we read of the Samaritans converted by Philip, Acts viii. 12, 13. that 'They were baptized both men and women: and that Simon (Magus) himself also believed and was baptized;' as was also the eunuch of Queen Candace, ver. 36. 38. Thus we find Paul baptized by Ananias, Acts ix. 18. Cornelius and his friends by order of St. Peter, Acts x. 47, 48. Lydia and her household, by St. Paul, Acts xvi. 15, &c. In fine, from the perpetual belief and practice of the whole Church ever since the Apostles' days, which in all ages and all nations has ever administered baptism in water to all her child ren, and never looked upon any to be Christians until they were baptized. Now 'if a person will not hear the Church, let him be to thee as a heathen and a publican,' St. Matt, xviii. 17.

Q. How do you prove from scripture that the Apostles gave baptism in water?

A, From Acts viii. 36. 38. *See here is water,' said the eunuch to St. Philip, 'what does hinder me Ao be baptized?.... and they both went down into the water, both Philip and the eunuch, and he baptized him.' And Acts x. 47, 48. 'Can any man forbid water, said St. Peter, that those should not be baptized, which have received the Holy Ghost as well as we? and he commanded them to be baptized in the name of the Lord.' Where we seo that even they who received the Holy Ghost, and consequently had been baptized by the Spirit, were nevertheless commanded to be baptized in water. Hence St. Paul, Ephes. v. 25, 26. tells us, that * Christ loved the Church, and gave himself for it, that he might sanctify it, cleasing it by the laver of water, in the word of life:' and, Heb. x. 22. *Let us draw near with a true heart — having our hearts sprinkled from an evil conscience, and our bodies washed with pure water.'

Q. What are the effects of the sacrament of baptism?

A, First, it washes away original sin, in which we are all born, by reason of the sin of our first father, Adam. Secondly, it remits all actual sins, Which we ourselves have committed (in case we have committed any before baptism) both as to the guilt and pain. Thirdly, it infuses the habit of divine grace into our souls, and makes us the adopted children of God. Fourthly, it gives us a right and title to the kingdom of heaven. Fifthly, it imprints a character or spiritual mark in the soul. Sixthly, in fine, it lets us into the Church of God, and makes us children and members of the Church.

Q. How do you prove that all sins are remitted in baptism?

A. From Acts ii. 38. 'Repent and be baptized every one of you in the name of Jesus Christ for the remission of sins' Acts xxii. 16. 'Arise and be baptized,' says Ananias to Paul, and wash away thy sins [in the Greek be washed from thy sins] calling upon the name of the Lord.' Ezekiel, xxxvi. 25. 'I will pour clean water upon you, and you shall be cleansed from all your filthiness.'

Hence, in the Nicene creed, we confess one baptism unto the remission of sins.

Q. May not a person obtain the remission of his sins, and eternal salvation, without being actually baptized?

A, In two cases he may. The first is, when a person not yet baptized, but heartily desiring bap» tism, is put to death for the faith of Christ, befor he can have this sacrament administered to him for such a one is baptized in his own blood. The second case is, when a person, that can by no means procure the actual administration of baptism, hasan earnest desire of it, joined with a perfect love of God, and repentance of his sins, and dies in this disposition: for this is called the baptism of the Holy Ghost; Baptismus Flaminis.

Q. From whence has baptism the power of con* fering grace, and washing away our sins?

A, From the institution of Christ, and in virtue of his blood, passion and death. From whence also all the other sacraments have their efficacy. For there is no obtaining mercy, grace or salvation, but through the passion of Jesus Christ.

Q. In what manner must a person, that is come to years of discretion, prepare himself for the sacrament of baptism?

A. By faith and repentance: and therefore it is necessary that he be first well instructed in the Christian doctrine, and that he firmly believe all the articles of the Catholic Faith. Secondly, that he be heartily sorry for all his sins, firmly resolving to lead a good Christian life, to renounce all sinful habits, and to make full satisfaction to all whom he has any ways injured.

Q. But what if a person should be baptized without being in these dispositions?

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A, In that case he would receive the sacrament and character of baptism, but not the grace of the sacrament, nor the remission of his sins, which he cannot obtain until by a sincere repentance he detests and renounces all his sins.

Q. Is it necessary for a person to go to confession before he receives the sacrament of baptism?

A, No, it is not: because the sins committed before baptism are washed away by baptism, and not by the sacrament of penance; and therefore there s no need of confessing them.

Q. What think you of those that put off for a long time their children's baptism.

A. I think they are guilty of a sin, in exposing them to the danger of dying without baptism: since, as daily experience ought to convince them, young children are so quickly and so easily snatched away by death.

Footnotes

1. St. Irenacue, I. 2. c. 39. Origen, 1. 5. in c. 6. ad Rom. St. Cyprian, Ep. ad Fidum. St. Chrysostom, Horn, ad Ncuphytea. St. Augustine, l. 10. de G^n. c. 23. &c. ↩